Petrom, the largest Romanian company, reported net profit worth 687 million RON (188.2 million euros) in the second quarter of the year, up 36% against the same time last year, whilst turnover amounted to 4.5 billion RON (1.2 billion euros), up 70%.
Petrom's net earnings are below analysts' expectations and were affected by the inclusion of extraordinary expenses. The expenses were so high that earnings derived from higher oil prices, which reached historic highs in the second quarter, were unable to compensate. On the Bucharest Stock Exchange, Petrom shares dropped by around 3% after the results were announced, whilst in Vienna, the shares of OMV (the majority shareholder) went up, after the Austrians announced they were giving up the fight to take over Hungarian rival MOL.
"The profit decline that occurred in the second quarter was generated in part by the decline in gas production, as well as by the provisions set up for litigations, risks and expenses, as well as due to the significant adjustments operated to the value of corporeal and non-corporeal assets in the wake of major investments," explained Mariana Gheorghe, CEO of Petrom. Therefore, in the second quarter of the year, the company allocated a 446.6 million-RON (122 million-euro) provision to cover potential risks for litigations brought on by several current and former employees, based on a differing interpretation of clauses in the labour contract, with regards to Christmas and Easter bonuses. In fact, if Petrom had not set up this provision, the company's net profit would have exceeded one billion RON (274 million euros) in the second half of the year, which would have met analysts' expectations. The net profit dropped 30% in the second quarter of the year against the first quarter.
Petrom has been repeatedly criticised by Government officials, more specifically by the Minister of
